W elcome to the first issue of Dryad News, where we aim to share updates on our ongoing project titled Financing Sustainable Community Forest Enterprises in Cameroon. In short, the project is dubbed dryad, which is not an acronym but a term derived from Greek mythology referring to a wood/forest nymph. The supportive legal policy framework in Cameroon has enabled the creation of hundreds of new community forests with the promise to promote participation of communities in significant decisions on how the forest is used or managed. However, their potential to improve livelihoods, contribute to the economy while enhancing proper forest management has not been realized due to lack of financial and technical capacity. Dryad is a public financing system based on performance that will fill this gap by providing capital and investment options to selected Community Forest Enterprises (CFEs). The purpose and action of this five year project is to provide financial support to develop businesses that generate financial profit by using the natural resources of the forest in an economically and environmentally sustainable way. Once implemented successfully, the model can be scaled out at a regional level to benefit the entire Congo basin.
Publication year
2022
Authors
Bernard F; Kahurani E; Murday S; Minang, P.A.; Duguma L A; Foundjem-Tita, D.
Language
English
Keywords
community forestry, sustainable forest management
Geographic
Cameroon
